An O’Brien sweep in Durham

DURHAM — New year, old story. The Durham couple of Mike and Cathy O’Brien, the Seacoast’s most dominant male and female runners for the past ten years, won the Seacoast’s first 5K in 2005.

By ANDY SCHACHATFoster’s Sports Correspondent

DURHAM — New year, old story. The Durham couple of Mike and Cathy O’Brien, the Seacoast’s most dominant male and female runners for the past ten years, won the Seacoast’s first 5K in 2005.

On a cloudless Saturday morning Mike O’Brien and Cathy O’Brien were the winners of the Second Annual Todd’s Trot 5K. Mike O’Brien, running the race for the first time, won with a time of 15 minutes, 44 seconds, while Cathy O’Brien, last year’s Todd Trot winner, repeated as champ in 18:18.

Winning the same race is nothing new for the O’Briens who have won the same race numerous times in the past few years. They both enjoy sharing the winner’s circle together.

“When we both win the race then we can both be happy instead of one of us lamenting about not winning,” Cathy O’Brien said.

Mike O’Brien added another point of view. “The winner, which is usually Cathy, can’t hold it over the other one,” he said.

While the result was the same the route was not for each O’Brien. Cathy O’Brien led the entire way and finished 37 seconds ahead of runner-up, Emily Mareb of Durham, who ran 18:57. The women’s winner was running her first race of 2005. How did she feel it went? “I felt good,” she said. “While it is a little difficult at first because it is the first race, it feels good to be out and running with a lot of people at a race.”

Taking part in a race in her home town added to the pleasure. “It’s fun when there is a race in Durham and you can jog to her start,” Cathy O’Brien said.

As for the men’s race, Mike O’Brien had to break away from a pack of five after one mile. From there he established a small lead and wound up winning by 12 seconds of Dover’s Timothy Rider. Unlike his wife Mike O’Brien had already run a race prior to Saturday, finishing second at the April Fool’s Four Miler in Salisbury, Mass. on April 3. Going into 2005 O’Brien felt this would be a good year for him and his first two performances have not lessened that opinion.“I felt pretty good today,” he said. “I feel like I am where I want to be. I know it is early in the season but this feels like a good start.”

Overall, there were 588 finishers, an increase of 172 over 2004. The race was held in memory of Peter “Todd” Heuchling, a former Oyster River student who died in 2003. Proceeds benefit a scholarship fund in his name. Prior to the race Todd’s mother, Sally Heuchling, thanked the participants.“Your presence keeps Todd’s spirit alive for the days, weeks, and months that will follow,” she said.